Section of Archival Collections of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Operative Dossiers, Investigation Files

and Armed Forces of the Ministry of the Interior


Department of Archival Collections of the Federal Ministry of the Interior

  • Department Head: PhDr. Miroslav Urbánek
  • Location: Prague 1, Na Struze 3
  • Telephone: +420 221 008 130
  • Fax: +420 222 511 917
  • E-mail: miroslav.urbanek@abscr.cz

The Department of Archival Collections of the Federal Ministry of the Interior performs the comprehensive functions of sorting, storing, disclosing and processing the archival materials and documents which it has assumed. The department administers the collections of the unitary Ministry of the Interior from the years 1945–1950, 1953–1968; the Ministry of National Security from the years 1950-1953; the Federal Ministry of the Interior from the years 1969-1992; some state security services from the years 1945-1990; investigation and legal files of Czechoslovak citizens tried in some German courts during the period of the occupation; and the collection of the Study Institute of the Ministry of the Interior. A part of the archival material overlaps with materials stored in the Department of Archival Collections of the State Security Service (StB). This concerns archival materials and documents in paper form, card indexes on collections, and microfiche and microfilm material.

The department handles the standard agenda – responding to requests for archival material from applicants, carrying out archival research, processing requests submitted on rehabilitation, restitution and compensation matters, and preparing materials for the handling of claims pursuant to archival law no. 255/1946 Coll. Further, pursuant to archival law no. 499/2004 Coll., department staff look up and render accessible relevant archival materials and documents to private and official applicants, and make extracts and copies of them. In addition, pursuant to Act No. 412/2005 Coll., department staff look up data for security screenings carried out by the National Security Office (Národní bezpečnostní úřad – NBÚ). A further important function of the department is the inventory of as yet unprocessed archival acquisitions and the generation of archival finding aids.

Department of Operative Dossiers and Investigation Files

  • Department Head: Mgr. Xenie Penížková
  • Location: Branické nám. 777/2, Praha 4–Braník
  • Telephone: + 420 221 008 348
  • E-mail: xenie.penizkova@abscr.cz

Countraintelligence Operative Dossiers and Investigation Files Group

The Department of Counterintelligence Operative Dossiers and Investigation Files chiefly administers the archival collections of the operative agenda of central and territorial counterintelligence units of the former communist political police.

In addition to transacting ordinary office business, department staff participate in rendering dossiers and additional archival materials accessible pursuant to Act No. 107/2002 Coll., and archival Act No. 499/2004 Coll. They make extracts and copies and carry out complex archival research from these materials and documents. In addition to looking up archival materials for researchers, they devote ongoing attention to the extensive processing of archival collections, gradually carrying out their inventory and cataloguing and generating archival finding aids for them. Pursuant to Act No. 412/ Coll., the department looks up data and processes synopses for security screenings carried out by the National Security Office (Národní bezpečnostní úřad – NBÚ). It also carries out functions pursuant to Act No. 451/1991 Coll., according to which it provides further groundwork for the exercise of some positions in state organs and organizations by looking up records for the issuing of certifications for the security section of the Ministry of the Interior.

Intelligence and Military Counterintelligence Operative Dossiers Group

The Department of Intelligence and Military Counterintelligence Operative Dossiers administers archival materials of the former Main Intelligence Service Directorate (SNB Directorate I), the Main Military Counterintelligence Directorate (SNB Directorate III), and the Intelligence Services of the General Staff of the Czechoslovak People’s Army (ZS GŠ). Its depositories contain microfiche, jackets, card index pages, dossiers from the activities of former SNB Directorate I and the archival collections of the Primary Organization of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (ZO KSČ) and the Primary Organization of the National Front (ZO NF) from the security services, as well as corresponding collections from SNB Directorate III (Main Military Counterintelligence Directorate) and the Intelligence Services of the General Staff of the Czechoslovak People’s Army, the Section of Internal Protection of the Correctional Education Corps.

Department staff respond to mail and e-mail queries submitted by private persons concerning both the disclosure of dossiers pursuant to Act No. 499/2004 Coll. and Act No. 107/2002 Coll, as well as administrative inquiries. Currently, the greatest interest on the part of the research public is in personal dossiers, which are accessible either in classic paper form, on microfiche, or digitized on CD/DVD. Pursuant to Act No. 412/2005 Coll., department staff also look up records for security screenings carried out by the National Security Office (Národní bezpečnostní úřad – NBÚ).

Department of Archival Collections of the Ministry of the Interior Armed Forces

  • Department Head: Mgr. Ing. Pavel Vaněk, Ph.D.
  • Location: Kanice
  • Mailing address: P.O.Box 29, Vlkova 2481/4, 628 00 Brno
  • Telephone: +420 545 227 302
  • Fax: +420 545 227 563
  • E-mail: badatelna.kanice@abscr.cz

The Department of Archival Collections of the Ministry of the Interior Armed Forces cares for the deposited personnel files of employees of the Ministry of the Interior and its police forces who have already completed their service. The department currently administers over 190,000 personnel files on individuals from the year of birth 1910. Files are not only taken over for storage, but also loaned as a part of the Ministry of the Interior (police), for example on the occasion of repeat entry of persons to the Ministry of the Interior, for criminal procedures, etc., or on the basis of requests from relevant offices. Pursuant to archival legislation, files are also presented to researchers.

The department additionally administers the collections of the former Border Guard Service and the Armed Forces of the Ministry of the Interior and their legal predecessors and successors, in the form of the Border Police. These collections are gradually archivally processed, resulting in the generation of archival finding aids. The materials are likewise, pursuant to Act No. 499/2004 Coll., presented to researchers.

The department’s administrative work is also significant, including the looking up of materials showing, for example, the injury of persons as the result of an intervention by the Border Guard Service, or the looking up of records on the behavior of the service, or on accidents, etc. to servicemen of these forces.

Document Preparation Group (Prague, Siwiecova)

  • Preparation Group Head: Mgr. Hana Rottová
  • Location: Siwiecova 2, Prague 3
  • Telephone: + 420 221 008 210
  • E-mail: badatelna.siwiecova@abscr.cz

The group renders documents accessible and checks whether these documents conform to the relevant legal statutes. It ensures the proper operation of research rooms, including the activities of the supervisor with respect to the researcher; administers appropriate records on researchers and the archival materials presented to them; selects archival material from relevant departments for researchers; is responsible for the timely and complete provision of archival materials for researchers’ study, the complete return of archival materials back to the corresponding department, and the maintenance of research room facilities; makes copies for researchers; and carries out further tasks arising from the group’s work.

Document Preparation Group (Prague, Na Struze)

  • Preparation Group Head: Mgr. Jitka Bílková
  • Location: Na Struze 3, Prague 1
  • Telephone: + 420 221 008 134
  • Fax: + 420 222 511 917
  • E-mail: badatelna.struha@abscr.cz

The group renders documents accessible pursuant to legal regulations; ensures the proper operation of research rooms, including the activity of the supervisor with respect to the researcher; administers appropriate records on researchers and the archival materials presented to them; selects archival material from relevant departments for the researcher; is responsible for the timely and complete presenting of archival materials for researchers’ study, the complete return of archival materials back to the relevant department, and the maintenance of research room facilities; makes copies for researchers; and carries out further tasks arising from the group’s work.